Blockchain-Based Verifiable Multi-Keyword Ranked Search on Encrypted Cloud with Fair Payment

Abstract

In traditional cloud computing system, searchable encryption is deemed as a core technology to realize data confidentiality protection and information retrieval functions. However, the online payment problem and mutual distrust between cloud platforms and users may hinder the wide adoption of cloud service. In this paper, we construct a blockchain based multi-keyword ranked search with fair payment (BMFP) system, which leverages smart contracts to verify the correctness and completeness of the search result, and automatically execute the fair payment operations. The system realizes public verifiability on a multi-keyword ranked search result. The data owner manages the search authority, and a concrete fair payment smart contract is designed. The BMFP is compatible with Ethereum, and the verification algorithm executed by the smart contract is cost-efficient.